Chair of NY Democratic Party: Walz Has to Relate to ‘The Average American’

I'm here with Jay Jacobs, the chair of the Democratic Party of the State of New York. Jay, thank you so much for joining us. Well, thanks for having me. Now, with the Kamala Harris-Waltz ticket, it's a very new ticket. Is it energizing the party? Well, you just see it in this hall. I've been at quite a few of these conventions. 2020 is the only recent one I've missed because we didn't have it. And I will tell you, I have never seen energy like this. I've never seen enthusiasm. But also when we're in the hotels and you're talking with delegates, not just from New York, but from all over, the excitement, you know, they're just anticipation. We're going to win, and we feel it. Waltz is speaking later tonight. What are you expecting him to say? And what does he need to say to reach out to more of those undecided voters? Well, I think he's the average American, and that's who he's got to relate to. And I think he does it very well. And I think he's just got to show people across this country what the values and principles of this Democratic Party are, what we're about, and once they know that and they compare it to the nonsense on the other side, I think we're going to have a very good election. And as far as the speeches we're going to hear later today, what are you most excited to hear other than Walz, of course? Well, you know, we've got Tom Suozzi, my own local congressman, going to be talking on immigration, and he's got a lot to say about it, and I think people are going to enjoy that. And Bill Clinton, well, I love Bill Clinton, so anytime I get an opportunity to listen to him, he takes a complex argument and boils it down to the most basic facts you need to know and presents them in a great way, I think that's going to be a great speech. What issues does Harris need to reach across the aisle with? Well, I think immigration is one of them, but the main thing is people are worried about the economy, they're worried about their pocketbooks, they're worried about affordability, and I think the other thing they're worried about is they want to get this country back to common-sense government and a decent seat. They want Democrats to be able to compromise with Republicans and vice versa. They want us to talk to each other, lower the temperature. You know, we're all Americans, we should not be hating each other, we shouldn't allow for and accept language of hate and the divisiveness, and I think she's going to give us that tenor, I think she's going to create that tenor, and I think it'll be great for us. Jay Jacobs, thank you so much for your time. My pleasure.